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The Dallas Mavericks (21-37) will play for the second consecutive night with a game Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies (21-36) that tips at 7:30 p.m. at American Airlines Center. Dallas snapped a two-game winning streak in losing 130-121 to the Kings Thursday. Naji Marshall scored 36 in the effort and the team was once again without Cooper Flagg, who missed his fourth straight game with a foot injury. As of this writing Flagg’s availability for Friday has not been announced.
Led in scoring by veteran swingman Ty Jerome, the Grizzlies enter this game on a three-game skid and having dropped seven of their last eight; they beat the Mavericks in each of these teams’ first two meetings, winning 118-104 at home Nov. 7 and in Dallas Nov. 22, 102-96. Since then both clubs have undergone major changes at the trade deadline. Although the bar for “surprising trade” is pretty high around these parts, the Grizzlies’ Feb. 3 deal with Utah sending Jaren Jackson Jr. and others away in a change for guard Walter Clayton Jr., forward Taylor Hendricks, guard Kyle Anderson, and three first round draft picks represented an abrupt change in direction for Memphis.
The post-trade Grizzlies, already without Jackson’s fellow building blocks Ja Morant (elbow) and Zach Edey (ankle) for much of this season, are giving their entire remaining roster a long look to see who to keep around for a likely rebuild, with wing Rayan Rupert, who arrived last week in a trade with Portland, the only Grizzly not to have yet started a game. For this approach, they have the right coach in Tuomas Iisalo, whose coaching style involves frequent substitutions and high demands on reserves. Since returning from the All-Star break, the only Memphis player to appear in a game and play fewer than 20 minutes has been Anderson, who left Feb. 20 against Utah with a knee injury after playing 18.
Next up
While it will take years to fully determine whether the Jazz or Grizzlies won the Feb. 3 trade, one of the deal’s clear early winners has been GG Jackson, a starter at power forward in eight of the nine games since. The third-year player has used the increased playing time to go on a 20-of-39 bender from long range, a stunning turnaround that has brought his season average up to 34.7 percent. Already an excellent finisher through contact at the rim, his shooting from deep has opened up the floor for him to operate and for his teammates. On a Grizzlies team that’s suddenly one of the smallest in the league he’s still looking for his first double-digit rebounding game of the season. The four-year contract he signed after making the team as a second-round pick in 2023 looks like quite a bargain now; the Grizzlies have a $2.4M option on him for 2026-27 but he is earning himself a lot of leverage at the negotiating table.
Welcome back, O-Max
Former Maverick Olivier Maxence-Prosper has also made hay with the opportunity afforded him lately; he had a rough scoring night Wednesday against the Warriors, with a late three-pointer his only scoring output, but has posted a couple of 20-point games since the break. The Mavericks drafted Prosper in 2023 for his athleticism, and in Memphis he has shown more refinement in his offensive game, with the ability to handle the rock in transition and put the ball on the floor to drive. He’s also had some nice nights shooting from three, including a seven-of-eight effort against Portland Feb. 7.
The Grizzlies are not a good team but they do have an intriguing collection of young, talented players, including Hendricks, another third-year player whose offense is gradually catching up to his defense. In the backcourt, guard Javon Small responded to his first start of the season Wednesday with a four-of-eight three-point performance, and Scotty Pippen is turning into a valuable pest with quick hands and a nose for the ball. Guard Walter Clayton Jr., on a title run with Florida this time a year ago, now finds himself taking his lumps in the pros alongside shooting guard Jaylen Wells, the Grizzlies’ leader in starts, though both show signs of being pretty good players in the long haul.
A new leaf
While the Grizzlies turned themselves into a two-month open mic at the trade deadline, the Mavericks have been reshaped into a team with size and veteran experience by the deal that sent Anthony Davis to Washington and brought Khris Middleton, Marvin Bagley III, Tyus Jones, and others to Dallas. They beat the Nets Tuesday with a balanced attack in which the team’s success getting into and controlling the paint led to success in the backcourt, where Klay Thompson made 5-of-10 threes and Brandon Williams connected on 9-of-11 from the field and racked up 10 assists.
One might expect a team like that to chew up the young developing Grizzlies if that team had not just gotten thumped by the worst team in the league, Sacramento, the night before, making 10 three-pointers and turning the ball over 17 times. The Kings beat the Grizzlies this week too, winning 123-114 Monday by outmuscling Memphis in the paint; if the Mavericks are healthy they’ve got the size to impose their will. One downside to the Mavericks’ recent infusion of veterans is that playing on consecutive nights becomes a much taller order; if the team needs young legs they can see if guard AJ Johnson can reprise his impressive 4-4 effort against the Kings. Up until the last two games, the Mavericks appeared to have solved their turnover woes; Friday’s game presents a good opportunity to get back on track.
How to watch/listen
You can watch the game on KFAA Channel 29 or MAVS TV (streaming), or listen at 97.1FM KEGL (English), and 99.1FM KFZO (Spanish).